His first-innings return was his best at Headingley for four years and it was the type of performance that left captain Andrew Gale saying "I'd have no hesitation in picking him for England at the minute".

Rashid has not got anywhere near matching his 57 Championship wickets in 2010 and has only taken 18 wickets in nine matches this season – but there have been encouraging signs.

The Bradfordian said: "I've felt better this season. I've felt more attacking with the mindset of getting wickets.

"I've been able to be aggressive and if you bowl a bad ball, you bowl a bad ball. I definitely feel in a better place this year than last year or the year before.

"If I can carry on doing what I'm doing and sticking to my game plan, I should have more good days than bad days."

Yorkshire face Middlesex in the Championship on Saturday at Scarborough, where Rashid has taken 52 wickets in 16 outings.

Gale said: "I think Rash was the biggest positive from Durham. I thought he was the Adil Rashid of four or five years ago; the wicket-taking Rashid that we all like to see.

"The pitch helped him because there was some turn and you don't usually find that at Headingley.

"His consistency and his positive mindset (was most impressive). Usually if he goes for a few fours, he wants men back. But he wanted to keep them up and keep the pressure on. He didn't bowl many long-hops.

The New Zealander was called for a suspect action during the recent Test series in the Caribbean, although he is allowed to continue bowling until the results come back – expected within the fortnight.

* Five Yorkshire players, led by captain Will Rhodes, have been named in the England under-19s squad for their forthcoming Test series against South Africa, starting on August 1.